Amazon's larger Kindle Fire HD goes on sale early

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon has started taking orders of the larger version of its Kindle Fire HD tablet computer on Thursday, five days ahead of schedule.

But because buyers could "pre-order" the device, Amazon is short on stock — orders placed today won't ship until Dec. 3, according to the company's website.

Amazon.com Inc. said Thursday that its customers can now order the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD from its website for $299. The tablet will be available at Best Buy stores beginning on Friday and at more retailers in the coming weeks.

Seattle-based Amazon had originally planned to ship the tablet on Nov. 20. The smaller version, which has a 7-inch screen, is already available.